The prospect of United looking elsewhere this summer has been met with disbelief by those watching the club's tactical evolution. Chelsea icon Cole was particularly scathing about the idea of the Red Devils hierarchy passing over Carrick for an outside appointment. "Realistically, I think it's secured," he said. "It's absurd to think of not giving it to him. He's come in, got more points than any other person in any other team. What more can you do? It would just be absurd, it wouldn't be a gamble, it would just be absurd [not to give it to him], he's proven it."
Hargreaves echoed those sentiments, adding: "Carrick understands the players and that’s probably why he’s there. He understands the pressure of playing for this football club. He puts the boys in the right positions where they need to play to succeed and they’re better in every capacity. So, to not give it to him after giving it to him, probably at the time when you wouldn’t have expected it, would be utterly ridiculous."